HOME CHURCHES

READ: PHILEMON 1-6

“The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.” (1 Corinthians 16:19).
A common feature in the early church was the presence of home churches or house fellowship in the residences of believers. No matter how highly placed you were or what office you occupied in the main church, you either belonged to a home church or had a thriving one in your house. Even Apostle Peter belonged to one (Acts 12:11-17). It was not a popular thing to be a Christian then. But what usually happen was that each vibrant home church grew to the point of becoming a local assembly. The home cells fed the main church and that became a major strategy for  church growth.
Some Christians will easily give it away as a trend that terminated with the Early Church but some churches especially that under Pastor Yongi Cho revived the home cell system that has helped to produce and sustain the world’s largest single church. Many home fellowships have turned into full-fledged churches. And it is still so today. When we started the Digging Deep, we were only four. Several large churches started in the living rooms of the founders. A church can equally take off in your own house starting with your family and within a year you can have up to 100 souls. That is the idea behind house fellowship.
A home church started in the house of Cornelius with his family, kinsmen and close friends (Acts 10:24). There was a home church in the house of Philemon (Philemon 1-2). In Acts 16:40, after being officially released from prison custody Paul and Silas’ first point of call was the house fellowship in the house of Lydia. They exhorted and comforted them before they left. Earlier, after her conversion and water baptism, Lydia invited Paul and Silas to lodge in her house. This was how the home fellowship started. It is our prayer that Jesus would make our home His home. You too can start a home church in your house. People of other faiths may refuse to come to church but as neighbours they would happily come into your house. Have you already started one in your home? Congratulations. How are you working to see that it grows beyond your immediate family, to embrace other families in your neighbourhood? There is great reward for making your home His dwelling place.

MEMORIZE: 1 CORINTHIANS 16:19 –The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. 

ABREAST OF COMING EVENTS?

READ: ACTS 10:9-18

Another benefit of seeing a divine vision is that it enables you to uncover the Gehazis. When your church has about 40-60 members, it is easy to pick out a witch. By the time it grows into a couple of thousands, it becomes easy for a dozen witches to turn your church into their hideout. A few of them might even end up in the choir. If you are not careful one of them can become your personal assistant. Through the ability to see what others cannot see, you will uncover your Gehazis and deal with them at the appropriate time. Ask God to show you the Gehazis in your midst.
When you are able to see the invisible, you will see your bodyguard and thereby enhance your living in peace in any unsafe location. Through divine vision, you will know beyond reasonable doubts that those for and with you, are more than those against you. Seeing such, once in while, helps to reassure you. Some years ago, when I was the National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, the killing of men of God was rampant. The brethren grew worried one day and told me they have observed I have no bodyguard, and they had resolved to provide me some, with or without my permission. I told them I have bodyguards and that their inability to see them does not erode their presence. Have you seen your angelic bodyguard before? It will help strengthen your faith in God’s word.
When you see the invisible, you will be able to see the new or next move of God. In Acts 10, while Peter was on the roof top, the Lord showed him that He was about to do something new. He saw God’s next move but because he was too conservative and unprepared for change, he lost the vision. Amos 3:7 says there is nothing God does without first showing it to mountain top climbers. When you are on the mountain top, God will show you things to come, so when others are panicking you will be at peace. A few years ago, I asked the RCCG members to fast for 100 days because of an imminent shaking. When the shaking came and most people were in trouble, those who obeyed and fasted were feasting. That year, most churches had no choice but to cancel their convention but ours was unaffected. When you know things to come, you will start to prepare for it. God wants to keep you abreast of coming events in your life, family, community, nation and the world at large. But you must tarry at the mountain top of His presence.

MEMORIZE: AMOS 3:7 –Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He reveals His secret to His servant the prophets.

HEAVENLY 419

READ: PHILIPPIANS 4:15-19

In Matthew 8:1-3, a touch totally transformed a leper’s destiny. Are you facing severe challenges? Are you thinking you cannot make it again? Are you thinking of ending your life? I bring you good news today: That problem that is terrorizing you is terminated today. A change is coming your way this moment. The One who touched the leper is touching you now and your life will never be the same again from this moment.
The word ‘419’ is not new to most Nigerians. The word actually refers to a portion of the Nigerian constitution that deals with advance fee fraud and other sharp business practices. To the average Nigerian, 419 is synonymous with fraud and fraudsters. Many Nigerians and foreigners have become victims of sharp fraudulent practices. The Nigerian 419 syndrome therefore is Satan’s avenue of affecting his three fold ministry in people’s lives –to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).
On the other hand, God operates another version of this syndrome. According to the Heavenly Constitution in Philippians 4:19, God demonstrates His limitless grace and possibilities in man’s life. Unlike its Nigerian counterpart, the Heavenly 419 stands for truth, hope, supply and life. God assures His children that even where earthly provisions are extinct, He will make His heavenly storehouse available to them. To be a beneficiary of the heavenly largess however, like the Philippians, you should become a die-hard supporter of God’s servants. Sow often and willingly into their lives. Sow sacrificially to your spiritual parents and their families. Give offerings that are acceptable to God and the type of seed you would have given to Jesus Christ if He was the physical Pastor of your church. Your pastor is standing for Christ, so whatever you give to him is to Christ. Whatever you deny him is denied Christ. The way you treat him is the way to treat Christ. If you hate your pastor, you cannot love Christ. If you gossip about your pastor or mobilize people against him, that is exactly how you relate to Jesus. The level of support you demonstrate to his ministry is actually the extent you support the Lord. The reason some believers are in want with no help in sight, is because they failed to support their pastor like the Philippians did. For such people, when earthly provisions are exhausted, no heavenly provision is released. At the end, stingy believers only succeed in defrauding themselves.

MEMORIZE: PHILIPPIANS 4:19 –But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.